Military Readiness and the Discharge Crisis: By the Numbers
- Kirk Carlson
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
By Kirk Carlson | USMC Veteran | Founder, Covenant of Courage
As the U.S. military grapples with recruitment shortfalls, aging equipment, and rising global instability, an internal crisis is quietly eroding the very foundation of force readiness: the systemic discharge of injured but still capable service members.
Rather than reassigning troops injured in training or on non-combat duty, the Department of Defense continues to separate thousands of men and women every year for medical reasons — without fully exploring retention or accommodation options. This discharge-first policy isn’t just unjust — it’s strategically unsustainable.
Here’s a look at the numbers behind this growing crisis:
📉 The Readiness Equation
77% of American youth are ineligible for military service due to health, education, or legal issues (DoD 2023)
In 2022, the Army missed its recruiting goal by 15,000 soldiers
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of experienced personnel are medically discharged each year — many for conditions that wouldn’t disqualify them from civilian employment
The contradiction is clear: we’re losing trained personnel faster than we can replace them — not due to lack of will, but due to rigid and outdated policies.
🩼 Discharges by the Numbers
Over 70,000 active duty troops have been medically separated since 2017
A recent analysis revealed that 17% of service members who undergo knee surgery are medically discharged within 4 years
Thousands are separated for mental health conditions developed during training or non-deployment periods
Many are discharged under “non-deployable” status — despite being qualified for administrative, instructional, or leadership roles
The policy standard today equates “injury” with “inutility” — a false and harmful assumption.
🧑⚖️ The Legal Gap
Unlike civilian employers, the military is largely exempt from ADA requirements to provide reasonable accommodations or job reassignments. This means:
There is no legal right to reassignment for injured troops
Service members are often forced out instead of retrained or reclassified
Civilian disability protections stop at the barracks door
This exemption is a loophole that violates the spirit of equal protection under the Constitution — and it’s costing lives, careers, and taxpayer dollars.
💰 The Hidden Costs
Every medically discharged service member represents a loss in investment:
It costs over $50,000–$75,000 to recruit and train a single enlisted member
Long-term VA disability payments and medical care often follow abrupt discharges
Morale and trust within the ranks deteriorate when injury leads to abandonment instead of support
A reassignment-first approach would retain skilled personnel, reduce costs, and protect morale.
🔄 The Case for Reform: Reasonable Ranks
The #ReasonableRanks campaign is leading the charge to reform military discharge policy. Our goal:
🔹 Establish a reassignment pathway for injured, non-deployable troops
🔹 Close the ADA loophole in military policy
🔹 Promote retention, dignity, and lawful accommodation
We’re not asking the military to lower standards — we’re asking it to modernize them.
🗣️ A National Security Imperative
America’s fighting force is only as strong as its people. When we lose thousands of capable troops to outdated discharge policies, we weaken ourselves — not just ethically, but operationally.
If we want a stronger, more just military, we must stop treating injury as a reason to discard those who volunteered to serve.
📢 Take Action
✅ Sign the Petition: https://chng.it/5yXYvkBtMR
🌐 Learn More: www.ReasonableRanks.org
📨 Contact Your Representatives and demand policy change
Every discharge has a story. Let’s make sure it also has justice.
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